Patrick h



(No Model.)

P. H. MGGRATH. 8 NoN-REFILLABLE BoTTLE.

No. 580,830. Patented Apr. 13, 1897.

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Nrrnn STATES FFICE.

ATENT PATRICK H. MCGRATH, OF RANDOLPH, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF THREE-EIGHTHS TO MICHAEL F. CUNNINGHAM, OF SAME PLACE.

NON-REFILLABLE BOTTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 580,830, dated April 13, 1897. Application filed November 2, l896. Serial No. 610,802. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Y

Beit known that l, PATRICK H. MCGRATH, of Randolph, county of Norfolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Non-Refillable Bottles, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters and numerals on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to bottles which cannot be relled after the originalcontents or a portion thereof is removed; and my invention has for its particular object the further improvement of a non-refillable bottle forming the subject-matter of another application, Serial No. 582,096, iiled by me, whereby all the parts of the closure may be made, preferably, of vitreous material. In the invention shown in said application it might be possible to partially refill the bottle by the use of an air-pump and so to a'certain extent nullify the object of the invention, but I have in my `present invention combined with the devices forming a part of my former invention suitable means to positively and absolutely prevent reiilling by the use of an air-pump or otherwise.

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the neck and upper portion of a bottle with my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the bottle reversed to empty it with the valve-controller inoperative. Fig. 3 is a top or plan View of the valve-controller. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the locking device for the valve, detached. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the valve-carrier; and Fig. 6, in elevation, represents the movable member of the locking device.

The bottle A is provided with an internallytapered neck A to about the point 2 to receive tightly a preferably cock-bushing a, through which is extended a tubular lining b, of glass, porcelain, or other similar material, the upper end of the tube forming the valveseat b', a shoulder b2, resting on the top of the bushing, holding the lining in place.

The valve is made, preferably, in two parts in order that it may be constructed of glass, porcelain, or the like, and consists of Ya support comprising an annular portion c, slotted at c and provided with guiding-prongs c2, which enter the lining b.

I prefer to thread the annulus c exteriorly at c to engage the threaded interior of the cup-like valve c3, the laterally-extended annular base c4 of which cooperates with the valve-seat b', as shown in Fig. l.

The valve is normally held seated by a gravity-controller, comprising an elongated heavy body d, substantially pear-shaped, an- 6o nularly enlarged at its neck by a series of fingers d', which rest on the inner end of the bushing when the bottle is turned upside down, as in Fig. 2.

A link e, having ball-like ends c and e2, detachably connects the valve-controller and valve by a ball-and-socket joint with each, the valve-support having an internal bearing-shoulder o5 to engage the ball e', while a similar shoulder d2 in the upper end of a lon- 7o gitudin al bore d3 of the controller engages the ball e2. The ball c is the smaller, and in assembling the parts the small end of the link is passed through the controller, and then sidewise it is inserted through the slot c into the 7 5 part c of the support, after which the valve member c3 is screwed on, and the parts are securely connected, yet allowing pivotal movement of the link and controller.

The upper end of the bore d3 is preferably 8o outwardly beveled, as at d4, to permit free pivotal movement of the controller, the construction described permitting all the parts to be made of glass, porcelain, doc.

When it is desired to remove the contents 8 5 of the bottle, the suitable removable stopper S is withdrawn and the bottle turned nearly or quite upside down, so that the fingers cl of the controller will rest on the bushing a., letting the force of the fluid passing between 9o the ngers open or push the valve c4 from its seat.

If the bottle is only slightly inclined, the outer ends of some of the fingers will impinge against the inner end of the bushing and the part d of the controller will act as a lever, fulcrumed at the point of contact of the iingers and bushing, so that the 'controller is elfective to seat the valve, unless the bottle is inverted, as in Fig. 2, or inclined sufficiently roo to permit the force of the discharging contents to maintain the valve open.

In my application referred to I made use of a float to act upon and seat the valve by the force of the entering liquid should it be attempted to refill the bottle; but herein I havedispensed with the float and have devised a positively-operated lock for the valve should an air-pump be employed.

It may be stated that the air in the emptied bottle would prevent the entrance of liquid therein Without artificial external pressure upon said liquid, and with such pressure the valve would be closed. By resorting to an air-pump, however, to first exhaust the air in the bottle and then admittingliquid it would fill the exhausted bottle, and this latter pro-v cedure I have herein guarded against.

Referring to Figs. l and 4, I have shown a plug-like guard f, havin g tortuous orindirect exit-passages f' therein for the fluid, said guard fitting tightly in the bottle-neck above the valve and having as a part thereof an inwardly-extended tubular portion f2, ending a short distance from the top of the valve member c3. A cork f3, having an annularlyflanged head f4, is fitted snugly, yet easily, in the inner end of the tube f2, with the flange resting against the end thereof, a vitreous cap f surrounding the exposed portion of the cork, which constitutes the movable member of the locking device for the valve. The upper end of the guard f is interiorly threaded at f5 and is open into the tubular extension f2, (see Fig. 1,) the threaded portion receiving therein the correspondingly threaded stem g of a guard-retainer g, having liquidexit openings g2.

A thread A is formed on the interior of the bottle-neck to engage thethreaded exterior of the retainer g, the latter having a socket g3 in its threaded exterior, (see Fig. 4,) with a locking-detent g4 therein, held normally across the path of the thread by a spring s, of wood, cork, or other suitable material.

Now when the retainer is screwed into the bottle-neck the detent g4 will yield to permit the leading end of the thread ax to pass and will be thrown back into normal position by its spring s across the spiral path after the terminal or inner end of the thread AX passes, so that it is impossible to withdraw the retainer without fracturing the bottle.

7When the bottle is filled with its liquid,

the valve-seat, valve, and controller are in-v serted in the bottle-neck and then the valvelocking device, but before the retainer gis screwed into the guard f a small quantity of liquid is poured into the tube f2 above the movable member f3, after which the retainer is screwed into place and locked permanently by the detent.

supposing the bottle to have been emptied of all or a part of its original contents and it is desired to rell it, the valve is only open when the bottle is inverted, and then liquid cannot be introduced Without exhausting the air from the bottle. If recourse is had to an airexhausting device, the equilibrium of pressure on the inner and outer ends of the movable locking member f3 is destroyed, and the expansive force of the confined air in tube f2 will force out said member f3 against the valve member c3, positively seating the valve c4 and absolutely closing all communication thereafter with the interior of the bottle. The liquid h, Fig. l, in the tubular extension f2' of the guard acts to retain the locking member f3 moist and preventits shrinkage, so that the confined air cannot escape even after many months, and the cap fx, covering the normally-exposed part of the member f3, prevents it from becoming dry.

If desired, some word, such as Fraud, may be formed on the main part of the member f3, (see Fig. 6,) normally concealed by the lower end of the tube f2, which may be rendered opaque, as at fl", Fig. 4, if necessary, the word appearing insight when the locking member has moved into abnormal locking position. (Indicated by dotted lines, Fig. l.) Any one can then see at a glance that the bottle has been tampered with and its unauthorized refilling attempted.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

l. In a non-refillable bottle, a valve in the neck thereof, a valve-seat for said valve, a valve-controller connected with the valve and arranged below said valve and its seat, within the body of the bottle, said controller acting by gravity to retain the valve closed when the bottle is upright or canted, and a pneumatic valve-locking device to positively move the valve to and retain it upon its seat, substantially as described.

2. In a non-refillable bottle, a valve in the neck thereof, a valve-seat for said valve, a

valve-controller connected with the valve and acting by gravity to retain the valve closed when the bottle is upright or canted, and a normally inoperative valve-locking device, including a fixed tubular member and a movable member therein, to engage and positively close the valve upon reduction of air-pressure upon the exposed externalportion of the inevable member, substantially as described.

3. In a non-refillable bottle, a valve-seat in the lower part of the neck, a two-part valve to cooperate therewith, comprising a supporting member and a detachable valve member, a valve-controller consisting of a weighted body within the bottle and having radiallyextended fingers at its upper end, and a link connected by a ball-and-socket joint with said valve and the upper end of the weighted body respectively, whereby when the bottle is canted the fingers retain the body out of contact With the bottle side and operative to maintain the valve seated, substantially as described.

4. In a non-retillable bottle, an annular IIO valve in the neck thereof, a valve-seat, a

valve-controller connected by a ball-andsocket joint with the valve and arranged beloW it and its seat Within the body of the bottle, said controller closing the valve When the bottle is upright or canted, and a valve-locking device comprising a xed guard having a tubular extension, and a movable member held therein and adapted to engage and seat the valve upon reduction of air-pressure upon the exposed portion of said member, substantially as described.

5. In a non-reflllable bottle, an annular valve in the neck thereof, a valve seat, a valve-controller connected With the valve and acting by gravity to n orm ally retain the valve closed, a guard in the neck above the valve, having a liquid-passage, means to retain said guard in place, and a pneumatic locking device between said valve and guard, operative upon reduction of external air-pressure thereupon to engage and positively close the valve, substantially as described.

6. In a non-refillable bottle, an annular valve in the neck thereof, a valve seat, a valve-controller connected With the valve and acting by gravity to normally retain the valve closed, a guard in the neck above the valve, having a liquid-passage, a threaded retainer for the guard, to engage a thread in the bottle-neck, a detent to prevent removal of the retainer, and a locking device operative upon reduction of external air-pressure thereupon to positively close the valve, substantially as described.

7. In a non-reiillable bottle, an annular valve in the neck thereof, a valve seat, a valve-controller connected with the valve and acting by gravity to normally retain the valve closed, a guard in the neck above the valve and having an air-chamber closed at its outer end, and a movable locking member closing the inner end of said chamber, reduction of external pressure upon said member permitting the air in said chamber to expand and force the locking member against and to close the valve, substantially as described.

8. In a non-reiillable bottle, a guard provided With a liquid-exit, adapted to be inserted in the bottle-neck, and having an air-chamber, a retainer for said guard, adapted to screw into the bottle-neck and to close the outer end of the air-chamber, and a valvelocking memberinserted in and closing the inner end of said chamber, reduction of eX- ternal pressure upon said member permitting the air in the chamber to expand and move said member into position to close the valve, substantially as described.

9. In a non-refillable bottle, a valve Within the neck thereof, a valve-seat for said valve, and a pneumatically-controlled valve-closer, adapted to operate upon reduction of external air-pressure thereupon, said valve-closer having a normally-concealed Warning, to indicate fraudulent manipulation When exposed in abnormal position, substantially as described.

In testimony Whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PATRICK H. MCGRATI-I.

Witnesses:

JOHN C. EDWARDS, ALEX. C. PROUDFIT. 

